20 Questions

1. What motivated you to run for Naperville City Council?

I am a widowed father of two fine young men. The Naperville community helped raise my boys and I simply owe the Naperville community a debt I can never repay. As an engineering executive and professor of finance, I have the skills that can help Keep Naperville, Naperville.

2. If elected to serve your community, will you accept health care benefits from the City of Naperville? YES NO

3. If elected, how much time per week are you willing to give to prepare for City Council meetings, budget workshops and liaison appointments on boards/commissions?

A city councilman is an honored position of leadership. There is an expected level of performance that requires a minimum of 20 hours or more a week.

4. What quality and/or skill set will you bring to a nonpartisan City Council?

I am an engineering executive having worked with multiple Fortune 500 companies, published multiple technical papers on advanced engineering topics, and am a patent-holding engineer. I am also an adjunct professor of graduate business school at Benedictine University and Concordia University. My courses include, international economics, accounting, and finance.

5. What do you consider to be the three biggest issues facing the City today?

Holding the line on Taxes
Like every family, the city needs to live within a budget.

Keeping Naperville, Naperville.
Continued growth is important but not at the expense of the Naperville community spirit.

Economic Growth
The professional offices in North Naperville are primed to attract new innovation based companies.

6. Do you favor term limits for City Council and other local/state governing bodies?YES NO

7. Name one contribution you have made to our city that you think was most significant of your community service to date.

My service includes 4 years as the Chairman of the Public Utility Advisory Board. The electric utility has confidently navigated unprecedented foundational change in the global power industry. The Naperville electrical utility provides power at an average rate of $ 0.10 kW-h, vs. ComEd of $ 0.12 kW-h.

8. What boards or commissions have you served previously?

Chairman of the Public Utility Advisory Board (Mayoral appointment)

Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Sustainability Forum

Member of The Renewable Energy Grant Design Committee

Member of Naperville Development Partnership Marketing Team

Church youth minister and volunteer

9. Realistically and fiscally speaking, if you could change/improve one thing in the city, what would it be?

The city needs to re-focus on providing better traffic flow during the morning and afternoon rush hours. It is envisioned that the widening of Route-59 will go a long way to achieve better traffic flow, however, further improvements are needed.

10. How do hope to be perceived by city staff, city manager, other council members and constituents?

I have developed strong relationships throughout the community. The Daily Herald stated, “Our preference is John Krummen, an engineering consultant who has been active in a host of city projects over the years and who demonstrates a clear potential to work compatibly with the existing council.”

11. What business development needs can you identify?

It was recently announced that a SKF industries is creating a technical and sales center in North Naperville. This is exactly the kind of businesses perfectly suited for professional office space on Diehl Road and throughout the city.

12. What can the City of Naperville do better to retain and attract businesses?

Tax Incremental financing (TIFs) and tax rebates can help in specific individual circumstances, however, tax rebates cannot be the only strategy. This simply leads to a race to the bottom. Strong city services such as fire, police, and modern infrastructure are the keys to a strong and vibrant economic community.

13. What can the City Council do to help keep real estate and property values in check?

The city has taken on more debt and is having difficulty paying the interest. More finical knowledge and skills are required for future city councils. As an engineering executive and a professor of finance, I have the required financial knowledge to lead on reducing the city debt.

14. What do you think the City Council could do to help keep Naperville affordable for homeowners of all ages?

Naperville needs new polices to help the growing population of seniors. Many seniors and other residents are struggling to stay in the houses and in the community they have grown to love. Holding the line on taxes is paramount to Keeping Naperville, Naperville.

15. What service provided by the City of Naperville do you deem most important? Least important?

All city services are important, however, community safety is the one service that can never be compromised. Naperville is very fortunate to have very strong and very professional Fire and Police Departments.

16. Are you a member of a service club or nonprofit board of directors that receives SECA funds or other grants from the City of Naperville? NO YES If yes, which one(s)? Yes,

I am a member of the Exchange Club (rookie of the year 2011). The exchange club runs Ribsfest. I am proud to be part of the Exchange Club that generates $100,000 s a year for local charities.

17. What city amenity is most important and how do you think it should be funded/raise revenue?

The current council has simply started to take on too much debt, and for the good of the whole community, the growing debt must be addressed. As such, all city amenities require a more sharpened pencil review.

18. How would you qualify Special Events and Cultural Amenities (SECA) applicants for funding?

The rules and guidelines for SECA funding are well document and well planned. They simply need to be enforced.

19. What is your opinion of the bidding and letting process at the City of Naperville?

I have built strong relationships with the city’s bidding professionals. The process is fair and transparent with potential suppliers, and strongly represents the community’s economic interest. However, in the spirit of continuous improvement, I will work with the city to improve all of the city’s policies and procedures.

20. In addition to employee salaries and public safety, place in order of importance to you 12 assets and public/private partnerships that currently receive funding from the City of Naperville.

As stated above, holding the line on debt and taxes is paramount to Keeping Naperville, Naperville. These are issues that concern the whole Naperville community. If honored to be elected, I will work with a team approach to review all of the city’s spending.